Santa was a little late this year but my Rourke 953 frame finally arrived last Friday 😀
My original fitting was in June and I had a great day chatting to Gareth and Brian, genuinely nice chaps.

It’s a summer Sunday best bike so I’m waiting for the roads to dry out and the wind to drop below 20mph before it’s maiden ride proper but a quick spin around the block was promising.

I don’t think I’ll be following Guy Martin in setting any records on mine though.

P1070226.jpg by Cheers Drive, on Flickr

P1070234.jpg by Cheers Drive, on Flickr

P1070236.jpg by Cheers Drive, on Flickr

P1070239.jpg by Cheers Drive, on Flickr

P1070246.jpg by Cheers Drive, on Flickr

P1070250.jpg by Cheers Drive, on Flickr

*likes*

Ah, thats a belter! Lovely color choice, loving the finishing kit and the kit in general.

Go to the top of the class. 🙂

That looks fantastic.

Really love the blue with the grey Ultegra and rims.

The bare chain and seat stays are the icing on the cake 8)

Cheers, I changed my mind on the original paint job every week during the 7 month wait before going back to my original design.

Almost a shame to pain the 953, I’d have thought. Although it is a really lovely paint job.

I wanted some paint as I don’t like fully bare frames in Stainless or Titanium.

Just perfect! Congratulations. If it rides the way it looks, it’s a dream-machine.

gorgeous that mate…..would be bloody gorgeous if it was a tourer.. 😀

A pair of stainless King Cages would look a treat on that.

Stunning! I’d add that into the beautiful bikes thread at the drop of a hat. Chappeu

very nice,

Out of interest what bar tape is on it??

Fizik, I can’t remember which variety but I got it by accident. It was meant to be plain after having issues trying to wrap stitched Fizik tape in the past. It took a few goes but it was good in the end.

Lovely.

Lovely! I’ve always admired their bikes. That layback seatpost is going to put you a little back on the bike, isn’t it?

How about fitting a black carbon FSA K-Force light chainset? They cost £700 here but I’ve just bought one from a bloke in Taiwan via Ebay for about £160 + carriage about £20 + tax about £32. I think it would suit the bike better.

Like!

Looks like a bit of subsidence there.

😉

globalti – Member
Lovely! I’ve always admired their bikes. That layback seatpost is going to put you a little back on the bike, isn’t it?

At the bike fit they moved the saddle back about an inch, it felt strange at first but after a few rides it was better than before. I moved to an inline for my winter bike which has very similar geometry and hated it so needed to get a layback for that too. The inline is now resigned for TT duties

Very nice! Very minor detail, but I’d go with this suggestion:

amplebrew – Member
A pair of stainless King Cages would look a treat on that.

Beautiful bike, I’m not much of a road man, but can imagine that being a dream in the summer months. That colour scheme really suits the bike, a bit retro, but understated and elegant, nice.

Anyone with instagram you can follow Jason Rourke, it is pure bike porn, their paint jobs and renovations are amazing.

Lovely, is that carbon fork?

That’s a lovely looking bike. I think I would find myself finding fault with the nicest of days so that it could stay looking that good!

A question of curiosity though … why a lay back post on a custom frame?

A pair of stainless King Cages would look a treat on that.

Do like the Tacx cages, but they do look a bit out of place on a lovely steel bike.

What are the wheels?

mogrim – Member
Very nice! Very minor detail, but I’d go with this suggestion:

amplebrew – Member
A pair of stainless King Cages would look a treat on that.
I’ve got sole Elite Inox Ciussi cages on order 😉

@warton – yes – Columbus Minimal, the more expensive Easton option was too chunky for my tastes

@letmetalktomark – It’s normal to have a layback on a road frame, mtb saddle position is usually further forward. If the frame was designed for an inline the seattube would be stupidly slack.
before anyone asks it has spacers under the stem as for a 60cm frame I think it looks better than a large head tube, especially as I wanted an almost flat top tube.

Wheels are Archetype rims with the new darker grey anodising, Miche hubs, Sapim laser / race spokes.
Wanting to keep the braking surface colour for as long as possible is the main reason for not riding it in the wet 😉

the fork is lovely, pet hate of mine is raw carbon forks on steel bikes…

all of a sudden I want a Rourke 😀

cheers_drive – Member
mogrim – Member
Very nice! Very minor detail, but I’d go with this suggestion:
amplebrew – Member
A pair of stainless King Cages would look a treat on that.

I’ve got sole Elite Inox Ciussi cages on order

Nice 8)

The black, white and red detailing on those cages will match the frame.

It’s such a lovely colour scheme, you must be really over the moon.

@ cheers_drive – Thank you. I’ve never ridden a proper road bike so was in the dark regarding body placement on the frame – thats my new thing learned today.

Again looks lovely.

Like that a lot!

Nice to see a non-sloping top tube and some classic lines. That paint job is class too.

Are the stays painted silver, raw, or chromed?

That is bloody stunning.

Erm how much though??????

That’s really nice, but I thought Sunday best would have a white saddle and bar tape.

When I grow up I’d like a Rouke.

Very Nice, and wise choice.

It certainly looks as if it was made for an individual, rather than a mass produced compromise.

Erm how much though??????
Through careful kit buying it cost a less than many mass market plastic frames bikes with Ultegra 😀

Are the stays painted silver, raw, or chromed?

Raw stainless

I was going to buy a planetx with ultegra- I’d love to know where etc? I can email you if ok?

Lovely 😀

hora – Member
I was going to buy a planetx with ultegra- I’d love to know where etc? I can email you if ok?

More than a PX though, I was thinking more like Specialized, Trek etc.

You have a reputation for changing frames often – are you sure you can cope with a 6 month + wait…..

Feel free to email me.

Out of my price range- I’m seeing if I ‘get back into’ road riding first to see if I like it/stay at.

Frame swapper? My ‘current’ frame will only go when it cracks. Think I’ve had it since May/June.

Stunning. Top marks )

Lovely bike. But it needs white tape to match the white of the Rourke on the DT (you can get good washable white). The small cable loops next to the head tube are a particularly nice detail, I just hope they don’t get bent as they look vulnerable.

I’m a big fan of retro-looking frames with modern components. Personally, I’d add a new Flite Ti saddle as the profile is easier on the eye. And the bottle cages will finish it off nicely.

You just know that’s going to make you feel good every time you roll it out. Hope you have many a mile with a smile!